Narcotic officers attached to the Department of Excise in Sri Lanka made a major breakthrough last night, when they arrested an Information Technology Security Head of a leading Systems Management Company and busted a haul of over 5000 ecstasy pills in his possession, Colombo Telegraph reliably learns.

The nabbed quantity of the drug is estimated to have a street value of over Rs 15 million with each pill been sold out in the open at Rs 3000 each.

The apprehended Information Technology Professional hailing from a reputed Systems Management company located in High Level Road Kirulaponne, would be produced in court today.

According to sources within the Excise Narcotics Division, the drug ecstasy, which is now rampantly been circulated in Colombo, Down South and even in Kandy is been sold mainly to the youth of Sri Lanka.

In 2010, quoting a former Sri Lankan security services official, the then US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Patricia Butenis informed Washington that drug kingpins in Sri Lanka had political patrons in the government and enjoyed certain privileges when carrying out their drug deals. Chief among them highlighted by her was Mervyn Silva, a former Minister of Labour during the Mahinda Rajapaksa led government era. His son, Malaka Silva, was suspected of trafficking the drug “ecstasy” mainly in night clubs in Colombo.

Meanwhile on the 9th of May a Police Constable, Chaminda Abeywickreme was killed and Police Inspector M. Neomal Rangajeewa and Constable Chaminda of the Police Narcotic Bureau were injured, when gunmen apparently opened fire at them whilst conducting a raid in Piliyandala.

Now both the Police Narcotics Bureau together with the Excise Narcotics Division is on a major offensive to curb the existing drug menace by busting those involved in this trade. (Janaka Ranaweera)